Senior Year
by wildflower-blooms
Summary: AU - Jake and Amy spent the first three years of college in a competitive rivalry. Now seniors, they find themselves forced into the same group for a year-long project. Fluff, academics, and intermittent smut. What more could you want? Rated M for language, adult themes, and smut.
1. The First Week

**This is my first time writing fanfiction in like seven years. If you have any constructive criticism, please leave a review so that the next chapter is better. I'm planning on two or three chapters of buildup, but there will definitely be smut.**

 **In this AU, Jake and Amy are studying Criminal Justice at the same university. They've just started senior year, and have been academic rivals since freshman year. Charles is Jake's roommate (obviously), Holt is the head of the department, Rosa is another classmate, and Gina just kind of comes and goes (hopefully she'll get in there more - she's one of my favorite characters and deserves to shine) but was a childhood friend of Jake's. I have ideas for other characters, so hopefully you'll see them soon!**

 **Also, I don't own any of the characters besides Emily (and maybe other random characters if I find it necessary). I simply placed the B99 characters into another context.**

* * *

 **Chapter 1: The First Week**

Jake awoke to his phone vibrating itself off of the bed and onto the floor. 43 messages and five missed calls from Charles. He dialed his friend's number, not able to keep his eyes open longer than 5 seconds.

"God damn it, Chuck. My alarm hasn't even gone off yet - what could you possibly want?"

"You missed your first class today."

"What? But it's only…" he looked at his watch. "6:18pm? That can't be right."

"It's not. You haven't replaced your watch batteries in six months. I don't know why you expected it to suddenly work."

"Okay, well why didn't you wake me? Our rooms are literally right next to each other. I thought we lived together so you could stop me from doing stupid shit like this."

"No, we share an apartment because we are special friends who love each other very much."

"You have got to know how that sounds, Charles."

"Anyways, I tried to wake you, but your door was locked. And you looked so peaceful through the crack in your door so I gave up. However, as your best friend I could not let you miss the rest of your first day. Especially with how strict Dr. Holt is! I say this because I love you, but it is too early in the semester to go down this path of procrastination and missing classes."

Jake hung up and pulled sweatpants and a t-shirt from the questionable pile of clothes in his corner. Grabbing his phone and his backpack, he rushed across campus and into his classroom, arriving with one whole minute to spare. After a quick scan of the room, he spotted his roommate in the front row with a seat saved next to him. He made his way over before stopping dead in his tracks at the sight of the most beautiful figure he has ever seen. While it was partially because of her gorgeous, dark brown waves that practically begged to tangle around his fingers, and he could not deny that her curves were tantalizing in that deep blue dress, there was just something about her that drew him in. He couldn't describe it. Jake coughed, realizing suddenly that his breath had been caught in his throat, and dragged his fingers through his messy brown hair. Collecting some sense of confidence, Jake strided over, about to introduce himself to his new classmate.

"Hey there, go-irl" he stopped dead in his tracks when he realized who the person was. Summer had done Amy Santiago well, he thought, before banishing all positive thoughts of her away. "I almost didn't recognize you in normal human clothes."

"Peralta," she said with an obviously annoyed nod. "Is that blood or ketchup on your pants?"

He looked down for the first time at the outfit he had put together.

"Honestly, I have no idea - the stain has been there for like a week. Hopefully it will come out in the wash."

"Way to make a good first-day impression," she said, obviously disgusted, before taking her seat.

Jake sat down and turned to Charles, questioning why he would ever save him a seat next to Amy. He could not stand that know-it-all and her stupid, smug face. What's more, he couldn't believe that he was attracted to that brownnosing robot for even a second. Unfortunately, before he could urge Charles to move seats away from the front row, Dr. Holt walked in.

"Hello students. As you are aware, it is the first day of your senior year. That means it is a great time to start working on your capstone projects."

Everyone groaned but Amy, who's hand shot up immediately.

"No, Santiago, there will be no extra credit available." Amy's face fell as she lowered her hand disappointed, causing Jake to snicker.

"As I am sure you are all aware, the project involves groups of four. Since you are sitting in rows of eight, I will be splitting the rows evenly in half. I urge that you maintain these seats for the semester, so that group work and presentations can be made in a timely and effective manner. I assume you are sitting next to people you enjoy working with, as I am told that is how college students socialize. I trust that none of you use this opportunity to slack off with your peers, but rather work diligently on this project. These groups are non-negotiable. Does anyone have any questions so far?"

As soon as Dr. Holt mentioned splitting the rows in half, Amy counted the seats on either side of her. While she was sitting next to her closest friend and roommate, Emily, the two were splitting center, as usual. _Drat_ , she thought, _that means I'm stuck with-_

"Peralta," snapped Dr. Holt, "are you paying any attention to this lecture?"

"Yes. Sorry sir, won't happen again."

He highly doubted this and settled in for what was going to be a long semester. Dr. Raymond Holt was the head of the Criminal Justice department, and he took his job very seriously. While his monotonous presentations made him one of the least-interesting lecturers, his previous career in the field and the string of high-profile cases he had solved lead him to be one of the most sought-after professors in the region. It was this strange juxtaposition that made him a prime candidate for leading the department.

"It is now now precisely 12:13pm. I am ending class before our scheduled end time of 12:15pm so that you have time to gather the contact information of your fellow group members. Use this time wisely. Dismissed."

Charles and Jake looked at each other and then at their fellow group members. Amy Santiago was, without a doubt, the smartest student in the major. Unfortunately, as Jake so eloquently phrased it, she was also the wettest of blankets. Rosa Diaz, who sat beside Charles, was a loner. Jake assumed she was smart, but he didn't know enough about her to confirm that - actually, he didn't know anything about her at all. The mystery was definitely attractive, but her demeanor was slightly terrifying. The four of them exchanged numbers and made plans to meet over the weekend. Amy insisted she would make a detailed online scheduler that they could all fill out with their availabilities, allowing her to choose the the optimal time for studying; Jake, on the other hand, knew that most people hadn't made plans for the first weekend on campus yet, so his first suggestion was immediately agreed upon.

* * *

Thanks to Charles, Jake made it through the first week without missing any other classes. He had four courses this semester, and Charles was in three of them. Despite having quite the reputation as a slacker, Charles was always able to keep him on task, making the two a great team. Unfortunately, he also had two classes with Amy - although he only had to sit near her in the one. The two had been rivals since freshman year, when Holt decided to pair them up for the first time. While they started out as fast friends, Jake's lackadaisical attitude and Amy's uptight demeanor ended up clashing. The two ended up begging Holt to give them new groups, which he begrudgingly allowed. To make matters worse, Jake and Charles ended up getting a higher grade than Amy and Emily. Since then, the two avoided working together and generally spending time together.

Until now, that is. And this time there was no chance of Dr. Holt assigning their groups.

By the time Saturday afternoon came, the four had already been given a structured outline from Holt with interim due dates and suggested timelines for their project. At their first group meeting, Amy handed out amended outlines with an overwhelming amount of notes and tentative meeting times. The first one: that night.

"This is insane!" said Jake. "I understand you're a brown-nosing lunatic who wants nothing more than to prove your superiority by acing everything, hopefully gaining the support of your idol, Dr. Holt, but some of us actually have a social life. There's a party tonight at ZBT and Karen is supposed to be there. Karen!"

"I'm sorry you value stupid parties over your academics, Peralta. However, some of us actually care about our grades. Right Rosa?"

"If you drag me into your stupid fight I swear I will end both of you," she said with an unreadable expression. "Also I have plans tonight and if you ask me about them or try to cancel them I will punch you."

"Alright then, it's three against one, unless Charles has decided to stab me in the back and throw out our entire friendship," said Jake.

After Charles voiced his support, Amy relented.

"Fine," she sighed, obviously annoyed, "enjoy your stupid party."

Everyone but Amy started gathering their things and heading out. Jake and Charles were just about to head back to their apartment when Jake turned and said, "you know, you could go out. I'm sure even a stick-in-the-mud like you likes to have fun."

"Oh, I'll be having plenty of fun. In fact, I think I'll rent a biographical film about Eleanor Roosevelt and finish the bottle Chardonnay in my fridge."

"You're right, that sounds so much better than going to the first party of the year."

"At least I won't lose my dignity in the middle of an overcrowded dance floor. I'd much rather stay safe and relatively sober with my polite housemates."

"Safe, sober, and polite. Name of your sex tape."

Amy rolled her eyes and, to her own surprise, found herself trying to hold back a laugh.

"Good luck with Karen tonight," she said, before packing up her own stuff and heading back to her apartment.

* * *

"I cannot _believe_ I have to work with him!"

Amy and Em were dressed in their pajamas and drinking Chardonnay. The clock had barely struck 8pm.

Em, on the other hand, couldn't believe that her best friend was still fuming about this. Actually, she could believe it. Jake was able to drive Amy crazy and get under her skin in a way no one else could. While their interactions were mostly cold or filled with sarcastic banter, it always featured underlying sexual tension that Em was sure both Amy and Jake were oblivious to. To be quite honest, Em was actually excited to see how their relationship would progress over the semester now that they were forced to work together. Sure, there were two other group members, but Em was certain that the bickering and frustration between Jake and Amy was going to boil over soon enough. _This would be good for Amy_ , she thought, _she's been sexually frustrated since she dumped Teddy_. However, for her plan to work, she couldn't overtly interfere - just gently nudge in the right direction. And tonight, that right direction was the ZBT party.

After a half hour of arguing, Emily finally convinced Amy to change out of her pjs and into something more suited for the first Saturday night of senior year.

"I can't believe you're making me do this," Amy wined, practically begging her friend to let her stay in.

"Why? Is it because you don't want to go out, or because you don't want to run into Jake?"

That accusation was enough motivation for Amy to finish her wine and head out into the night. Looking up, she could see the stars faintly twinkling and paused for a moment. She would rather be headed anywhere else but to the party where her least favorite person would be dancing up on another girl. Not that is mattered, though. Jake could do whatever he wanted. If anything, she actually felt bad for the poor girl. She pushed the thoughts aside, denying the tinge of jealousy that kept threatening to show itself.

* * *

Jake was leaning against a wall, drink in hand, when Amy walked in. He caught a glimpse of her over Karen's shoulder and his breath once again caught in his throat. The flowy blue dress she wore on the first day of classes may have done her curves justice, but it was no match for the ensemble she was wearing now. The floral crop top was a perfect mix between Amy's innocent style and typical partywear, and the neckline scooped down the perfect amount. And when she turned around, Jake couldn't help but notice the way that her leggings hugged her ass. He hated himself for staring, but he couldn't look away. It wasn't until Karen realized she no longer had Jake's attention and stormed off that he even remembered where he was.

"Where'd Karen go? I thought you two were hitting it off." Charles asked, appearing at his side out of nowhere.

Jake mumbled a confused response, finally returning to reality and realizing he blew his one and only chance with Karen. By the time he located her, she was chatting with some guy from the wrestling team. "Whatever man. I'm gonna get another drink."

Fumbling through the bottles on the counter, Jake finally found a bottle of vodka and poured himself a shot.

"May I please have the bottle when you're done with it?"'

Jake didn't even have to turn around - the impeccable grammar was enough. Amy, on the other hand, didn't realize who she was talking to until Jake turned around to hand her the bottle. Pouring herself a shot, she held up her glass.

"To an A+ group project," she toasted, hesitantly.

"You cannot toast to an assignment while at a party, Santiago. That's just college 101."

"Well I'm sorry I'm not a pro-partier like you, Peralta."

"It takes practice and skill," he smirked, before raising his glass to propose his own toast. "To Amy's first ever party and her very first shot."

She rolled her eyes, but decided not to humor him with a response. Instead the two downed their shots and then took another.

"So where's Karen? I thought this was your big night?"

"What?" The second Amy came up behind him in the kitchen, Jake had forgotten all about Karen. "Oh, right. It doesn't matter. I'm more concerned about you. What happened to wine and documentaries? Or did you realize that you couldn't let your favorite group member take shots in the kitchen alone?"

"Emily dragged me out," she replied, feeling her face flush with what she assumed was anger.

"Well you look nice." Amy raised an eyebrow at the compliment, her face flushing even mroe. "For a soulless robot, that is."

"Thanks. I guess you also look half decent. At least there are no ketchup stains on your pants this time."

"Actually, turns out it was blood. No idea where it came from."

Amy visibly recoiled before reaching for another drink.

"Whoa whoa whoa. Three shots in a row? Maybe you should slow down."

"Make me," she challenged, not realizing the amount of tensions those two small words would make. The two stood there, staring into each others eyes, not knowing how to proceed. Finally, Jake broke the silence.

"Okay, if you're gonna drink more, we at least have to make it interesting. Beer pong. Winner gets $10."

She stepped forward as she spoke, her face only inches from Jake's. "Oh, you're on, Peralta." Rather than decreasing the tension, the proposed competition intensified it. This was Amy's chance to finally beat Jake the way he beat her during their first year. It may not be academic, but her competitive nature didn't mind. Either way, she was going to crush him.

* * *

"Thanks for walking me home. I really don't know where Em went."

"She left with Gina about an hour ago. Something about meeting up with Rosa," interjected Charles. Both of them had forgotten he was there.

"Anyways, this is me," she said as they reached her door. "You can pay me the $10 on Monday."

He didn't respond. He was too busy getting lost in her deep brown eyes. The game had been pretty close, and he was certain he could've won if it weren't for the fact that he kept getting distracted. Seeing her get all worked up and competitive was surprisingly sexy. Without either of them realizing, their faces inched closer and closer together until only an inch or two separated them.

"Jakey it's 2am can we please go home? I have to use the bathroom!"

Snapping back to reality, the two muttered their goodbyes before Jake rushed off to take his intoxicated roommate home. He wasn't completely sure what just happened. Did he almost kiss Amy? Just that thought alone seemed absurd. Thankfully, Charles was too drunk to have noticed at all, but Jake couldn't help but spend the rest of the night wondering what would have happened if Charles wasn't there, and how soft Amy's lips would have felt against his.


	2. The Breakthrough

**Hey guys! I'm back with another unbeta'd chapter (any comments would be v much appreciated). I'm trying to capture their personalities as I go and want to be true to B99, but I'm so used to writing original characters. Also, while Rosa isn't a major part in this particular storyline, I wouldn't have been able to forgive myself if I didn't give her my fellow queer badass the bi representation she deserves.**

 **Lastly- I realized that I never explained what the group project was, so I wanted to give some background. It's crappily constructed on my part, but I wanted something relevant to the show but also still a college project.**

 **The assignment:**

 **The groups were allowed to choose an aspect of the criminal justice system they were interested in. Luckily, all four of them wanted to be detectives. They were given five cases to choose from. Amy suggested choosing a sensible one - something difficult and challenging, but not impossible so that they could guarantee themselves a good grade. Jake, on the other hand, wanted to go for the hardest case possible. All of these cases were ones that had been solved by Holt, and he had the records sealed so that they couldn't cheat. However, as they secured leads and progressed, they could gain access to different parts of the official police record.**

 **They chose a double homicide - the first victim, O'Brien, was a big-shot in the drug trafficking world, while the second victim, Matthews, was seemingly random - maybe an innocent bystander that got caught in the crossfire. No prints, no witnesses, no leads. They had access to the same materials that Holt had had access to. Of course, special permission was needed to access these records, and steps had been taken to change names and some other aspects.**

* * *

 **Chapter 2: The Breakthrough**

Sunday passed for both Amy and Jake in a blur of hangovers and homework. Multiple times they tried to assure themselves that it was in their imagination, but both knew the truth. They had almost kissed.

By the time Monday rolled around, both Jake and Amy had decided that Saturday night was just an alcohol-induced fantasy. They had hated each other since freshman year, and one drunken night wasn't going to change that. Both assured themselves that there was no spark between them and that they had imagined the whole thing. Sure, Jake had walked Amy home, but the look in his eyes was just Amy's lonely imagination. And Jake was certain that the closeness of their faces wasn't a dream, but he was sure there was no meaning behind it. But still - they had almost kissed.

Not only kissed, but craved the touch of the other. Blaming it on the alcohol, Amy pushed it out of her mind, trying not to fantasize about Jake pushing her up against the door as she ripped off his shirt. She imagined him kissing down her neck as her hand dropped down father and farther until-

"Santiago," Jake nodded with amusement in his voice. Amy was shocked to see him already seated when she got to class. Even more surprising, though, was his attire. He wore a button down shirt and jeans. She even thought she noticed gel in his hair. Normally Jake did not care what he looked like, and he wore whatever clothes he could find. However, today was different. Confusion quickly turned into denial as Amy convinced herself that his attire had nothing to do with her. Just like her red lipstick - something she normally reserved for special occasions - had nothing to do with him.

"You look surprisingly non-robotic today," he continued.

Emily chimed in from Amy's other side, "I'm dragging her out for girls' night."

"Well have fun. Just don't bore them to death with long rambling talks about the implementation of cyber-security measures," he teased with twinkle in his eye, calling back to a presentation she gave during their sophomore year.

And just like that, the lingering awkwardness from Saturday night faded away.

* * *

To their surprise, whatever happened between them that previous weekend hadn't made things awkward. If anything, it softened their bitter rivalry into the beginnings of a friendship. The two even found themselves getting lunch together after Holt's lectures, sometimes with Charles and Rosa and sometimes without, laughing and telling stories about their lives. Neither addressed the events of that one Saturday, and after two weeks neither of them thought it important anymore. Between classes, lunches, and group meetings, the two were starting to really get along.

The first few weeks of the semester had blown by. Both Amy and Jake were glad that they were able to get along, and their (potentially flirty) banter was quickly becoming a personal highlight of their weeks. They were able to work well together, and it wasn't weird when their discussions turned to conversations about Amy's previous relationship with Teddy and the few dates she's been on since. And Amy was unbothered when discussing Jake's continued dating life - and man, was that boy a shameless flirt.

Of course, there were occasional glances. And sure, sometimes their banter got a little too flirty, but they were fine. Things weren't weird. At least, that's what they both told themselves.

* * *

The day started out normally enough. It was Saturday afternoon, and the gang was gathered for their weekly meeting, pouring over the case file they had selected.

"It's been two weeks and we haven't found any leads." The frustration in Amy's voice was obvious. "We've combed over both victim's phone records and bank statements, canvassed the neighborhoods - we should have a lead by now." (Of course, they didn't really canvass anywhere, but rather came up with the questions and procedure that they _would_ have used, and reviewed them with Holt before being given the appropriate information and answers).

"Maybe we're making this a bigger deal than it needs to be. There has to be something obvious that we've missed." Jake crossed his arms and leaned back in his chair, frustrated.

"You found no connection between the two victims, right Charles?"

"Well, I only searched briefly, but we had already agreed that there was nothing to link the two together. They aren't related, neither victim's family recognized the other, and there aren't any bank records that link them."

"That last part doesn't mean much," Jake remarked, uncrossing his arms and combing over his copy of the file once again. "O'Brien's bank records are incomplete and sporadic. Due to her involvement in drug trafficking, I'd say that most of her transactions were in cash to avoid a paper trail."

"That's probably true," said Charles, "but that doesn't help us at all."

"Guys, look at this." Amy was highlighting a few lines on Matthew's bank statement. "These are all for high-end hotels. There's no way she could have afforded these on her own - at least not this many times."

"You're right," Rosa chimed in, her voice certain but void of any indication as to what she was going to say next. "But she wasn't the one paying for them. 1,000 pushups says that O'Brien was paying for the hotel rooms and Matthews was simply using her card for collateral."

"But Charles didn't find any connections between the victims," Jake interjected, his uncertainty punctuated by his obvious desire to solve this case.

"That's because he was too focused on finding a criminal link between them. If he took his head out of his ass, he would have seen at least a week ago that there is no criminal link between them. They're dating."

Jake's jaw dropped before he could stop himself, and realization dawned on Amy.

"You could be right!" She exclaimed, excitement coursing through her veins. "Charles, continue to comb over the phone records and bank statements to see if there could be anything we missed - O'Brien might have had a second phone and that's why we didn't see the connection. Rosa, continue to investigate this possible connection - maybe there's a paper trail or a stash of letters in one of the victim's apartments. Jake and I will interview friends of the victims and prepare a briefing for Dr. Holt after class on Monday."

"Wait - this could mean the murder wasn't drug related at all. It could be a hate crime."

"Or a crime of _passion_ ," Charles added with drama. Sensing the oncoming soliloquy of the beauty of romance, Jake cut in and questioned how Rosa came to that realization.

"In high school I dated a girl whose family was so homophobic that she would've been kicked out of the house if they even _suspected_ we were together. Had to go to a lot of lengths to make sure they never found out."

"Sneaking around for love. How romantic. Isn't love _wondrous_?" Charles batted his eyelashes for emphasis, causing him to look and sound like a character in a terrible romcom.

Rosa scoffed, the corner of her mouth almost threatening a smile. "Don't get your panties in a bunch, Boyle. It wasn't that serious. I don't do serious." She paused before smirking, a twinkle visible in her eye. "Besides, she had a great ass."

Gears were turning in Jake's head as he processed Rosa's comment and tried to come up with a signature Peralta comeback, but Amy interrupted his thoughts by suggesting they break to work on their separate tasks. Since Amy and Jake were conducting interviews together, he stayed behind as the other two left, agreeing that the four of them would grab drinks that night to celebrate their new lead.

Once it was just the two of them, Jake turned to Amy.

"Didn't Rosa used to fuck some guy from the radio station?"

Amy scrunched her nose at his phrasing, but decided against making a comment. Instead, she simply nodded in confirmation.

"But she dated a girl in high school?"

Amy rolled her eye's at Jake's obliviousness. "So much for wanting to be the best detective," she teased.

He leaned back, feigning shock and hurt while he fought back a grin. "I can't believe you would say that."

"Okay, Pineapples." He rolled his eyes, regretting ever telling her about that. "Then figure out this puzzle."

He thought for a second, leaning back in his chair before suddenly lurching forward as realization flashed across his face. "Rosa's bi!"

"There ya go," she said in mock praise, patting him on the back. "I'm surprised it took you this long."

"Well how would I have known? It's not like she ever talks about her personal life. I think this was the first time I've heard anything herself prior to college."

"That's fair," she sighed, then leaned in close as if about to reveal a secret. "I only know because Em has been trying to get in Rosa's pants for the past year."

"That's why Em is always hanging around us," he said, eyes lighting up and fist slamming down on the table.

"Excuse me?" She said while raising one eyebrow, mimicking the shock and hurt Jake had pretended to feel earlier.

"Oh, right. And I guess she probably wants to hang out with her weird roommate."

Amy groaned and rolled her eyes at him.

"Wait," Jake said suddenly, smirking. "Since when was Emily into girls?"

She shoved his arm a bit, trying to ignore the slight spark she felt when her hand made contact with his sleeve. "Oh my _god_ , Jake. I can't tell if you're being serious or not, but if you are then you need to give up all hopes on being a detective now before it's too late."

* * *

That night the crew (plus Emily, of course) met up for drinks, as planned. The excitement from that afternoon's breakthrough powered them through a few rounds of shots, each group member taking turns buying for the others.

After a few hours, Charles excused himself to go to a diner with some other friends fromm cooking club, leaving Jake asking Amy where Rosa disappeared to.

"With Emily, I think."

Jake knowingly raised an eyebrow.

"I saw them making out in the corner, and then I lost track of them like an hour ago. Which sucks because as happy as I am for her, all I want to do is get out of here and Em was supposed to walk me home. That guy at the end of the bar has been staring at me for half an hour." He turned and made eye contact with the man Amy had motioned towards. Instinctively, he put his hand on her leg and leaned in to whisper in her ear. Every muscle in her body tensed when his hot breath hit her skin, and his hand on her lower thigh sent a shock through her stomach.

"Sorry," he whispered. "I've had to help Gina avoid so many creeps that I've learned the best way to get them away is to think I'm with her."

She swallowed thickly. "I hate that you're right."

He chuckled before dragging his nose down her neck before rising to whisper in her other ear, his breath against her skin leaving her lightheaded. "Yeah, men suck. Myself excluded, of course." He leaned back and winked before nodding towards the creepy guy, who had gotten the message and was cashing out.

Amy felt her whole body relax once Jake removed his hand, yet she found her body craving his touch.

"Come on, Ames. I'll walk you home."

"Ames?"

"Sorry - I meant Amy."

"No, no - I like it," she said, which caused Jake's face to visibly light up as a goofy smile crept across his face. Normally she hated nicknames, but something about her name in his mouth was intoxicating. Then again, it could also be the four rounds of shots making her feel so woozy.

The two headed towards the door, Jake draping his arm around Amy protectively, and she relaxed into his touch despite the fact that every fiber of her being was on high alert.

As they got closer to her front door, Jake apologized again for not giving her much of a warning at the bar before he invaded her space. His arm was still draped around her shoulders, and hers had snaked its way around his waist halfway through their walk.

"Not gonna lie, though," he added before dipping his head down and whispering in her ear again, his voice intoxicatingly deep, "it was fun to feel you shiver when I whispered into your ear."

The presence of his breath made her tense up, her hand clutching his waist harder than she intended, and she became acutely aware that her efforts to hide another shiver were in vain. He leaned back and winked before bursting out laughing.

Amy found herself wondering to what extent Jake was being sincere rather than his normal flirty self, but she pushed that thought away immediately, attributing everything to the multiple rounds of shots. Regardless of reason, she immediately pushed him away without missing a beat. "Oh grow up, Peralta," she mocked.

Sometime during this exchange they found themselves right outside of her front door. Looking up from her purse, keys in hand, she caught Jake's eyes as he looked down at her. The air grew heavy around them, pushing them closer together. She looked up at him, and he swallowed thickly when their gazes met, their faces inching closer until there was barely any room between them. His hand reached up and her breath caught as he caught her chin between his thumb and forefinger, causing her to close her eyes and lean in closer.

Just as their lips were about to touch, the front door started opening, causing them to jump apart just in time for Rosa to emerge.

She looked at them both briefly, nodded, and sauntered away into the night.

"I think I need to go talk to Em." Amy's voice was shakier than intended as she tried and failed to avoid his gaze. He looked at her with bewilderment as he pushed one hand deep into his pocket as the other reached around his neck.

"Yep, good idea. I'm gonna head home."

They nodded to each other before parting ways.


	3. Surprises

**Hi again! Thank you to everyone who has enjoyed this so far and who has favorited, reviewed, or followed (I know it's only a few people but it still means a lot to me). I'm still writing without a beta so please keep that in mind. Also please R &R! :)**

* * *

 **Chapter 3: Surprises**

Amy slammed the door behind her before sighing and sliding down to the floor. What she done? Why did this keep happening? I mean sure, Jake was handsome. And maybe she liked spending time with him. And yes, he could make her laugh. Oh god, he could really make her laugh - his sense of humor had the ability to brighten even her worst days. But it was still Jake, and he had the frustrating ability to be _the most_ annoying person in the whole entire world.

Taking a deep breath, Amy pushed herself off the floor and slowly made her way down the hall, trying to force her mind away from Jake's big, stupid, goofy mouth. She needed a distraction, and knew she would find one in Emily, who was dancing around the kitchen like a schoolgirl who just heard a rumor that her crush might like her back.

"Fun night, hun?" Teased Amy with a wink as she poured herself a glass of water.

Emily was practically glowing. "You have _no_ idea," she giggled as she secured her long, obviously tangled, blonde hair in a messy bun.

* * *

To Amy's relief, their second almost-kiss didn't bring about any increased awkwardness. Although claiming that nothing changed between them would be naive. Whereas last time their friendship was visibly unbalanced for a brief moment, this time the shift was immediate and electrifying. There were no awkward pauses as they tried to navigate what had happened or internally question what it all meant. Instead there was an immediate increase in the intensity of their flirty banter, which only grew more prevalent and real as the weeks went by. The glances became longer and less subtle, and neither of them could sincerely deny that there was tangible sexual tension - although they could try. Even during moments where the sexual tension was so real and thick that it could be cut with a knife, neither of them acted. The emotions behind the tension were too confusing for either of them to address their obvious connection, so their solo lunches were underscored by all the words they were too guarded to say.

Biting her tongue could only get Amy so far, though. While she was smart enough to realize that there was something between her and Jake, she refused to admit to herself that she may actually have feelings for him. She had made a mental list of reasons why she didn't like him or excuses as to why she would never mention the feelings she pretended didn't exist, and she would go over the list at night alone.

1\. Hearing Emily pine after Rosa was causing her to second-guess _everything_. Ever since they finally hooked up, they had become glorified friends with benefits. Em was completely sold, but Rosa would never seriously commit to a relationship. While it typically didn't affect the group dynamic, when things were rocky between Em and Rosa the whole group would be thrown through a loop, which brings us to the next point on the list.

2\. They were partners in this group project. It was only the end of September, and the project would continue until they graduated in the Spring. If anything were to happen, it would just get weird and complicated, which Amy wanted to avoid at all costs.

3\. Like Rosa, Jake didn't do serious relationships. He treated dating like a game. It's not that he treated the women he went out with terribly or with any lack of respect, but a part of him definitely saw them as a prize to be won. During the three years that they knew each other, Amy had overheard enough gossip on his hookups and dates to know that none of his relationships had lasted longer than a month.

4\. Speaking of gossip, Amy knew the types of women that Jake went after, and she was definitely not his type. He went for conventionally hot women, so even if she was into him it's not like he'd ever think she was good enough.

 _Not good enough? God, pull yourself together, Santiago_. She wasn't used to sounding like a lovestruck teenager. Amy was gorgeous, although it had taken her a long time to truly understand that. But something about Jake made her nervous and uneasy. Whereas Amy was typically fairly confident in her looks, she found herself sometimes comparing herself to anonymous women she had never met. The immaturity of it all frustrated her to no end. Most of all, she was frustrated that she even cared in the first place. She hated that sometimes she found herself trying to get a rise out of him, egging him on in their banter to see just how far she could go. While she wasn't as quick to dish out the flirty one-liners, she knew how to set them up and how to annoy Jake in her own way.

* * *

Going to parties had become almost a tradition for the gang, especially after their more stressful group meetings. Even Amy, who originally hated the crowds and the mess, found herself looking forward to the distraction.

They were a well-oiled machine. Rosa would stand towards the edge of the crowd with a bored expression, sometimes chatting with others. Emily would be on the dancefloor with Gina for most of the night (where Gina went was always a mystery, but no one really questioned it), then duck out with Rosa so they could spend some time at the apartment before Amy got back. Charles would make a fool out of himself trying to entertain people with discussions on his favorite meals, and eventually leave to make a panini at home. That typically left Amy and Jake alone. They'd start out the night mocking each other, followed by some sort of competition: dance contest, drinking competition, thumb wrestling - it honestly didn't matter as long as there was a way to win. Finally, Jake would walk Amy home where they'd stand awkwardly for a minute or two, both unsure whether or not to make a move, before deciding against it. The parties were predictable and unsurprising, which was oddly comforting. Surprises were overrated, anyways.

...

It was the first weekend of October, and the gang was saddling up for another night. The first twist was when Gina showed up with an extensive collection of Cards Against Humanity Cards. Gina, who normally just popped up at the parties sometimes, never really hung out with them beforehand. Although she was only a sophomore, she had infiltrated the group of seniors through her prior connection with Jake. Since they had grown up together not too far from campus, Gina had met Charles soon after Jake had. Amy had briefly been Gina's tutor for an introductory Art History class (Amy's minor and not-so-secret passion) before Gina dropped the class completely, so they were at least familiar with each other. No one was completely sure how Rosa and Gina had met, and while neither woman was the type to claim to have a best friend, that was the best way to describe their relationship.

Tonight, however, Gina was ready to shake things up. Rosa, Jake, and Charles were already at Amy and Em's apartment when there was a knock at the door.

"Who is it?"

"The answer to your prayers. A true goddess descended from the heavens whose purpose it is to help losers like you become winners like me. A beautiful w-"

She only stopped once the door was opened for her. A huge smile on her face, Gina strutted into the living room with a massive box of cards in one hand and a bottle of tequila in another, a welcome surprise. She was practically glowing as she exclaimed "it's time to pregame like you mean it bitches!"

...

One hour and a bottle of tequila later, Amy conceded defeat with only three black cards, putting her in dead last. "I swear I'm not usually this bad!"

"'I swear I'm not usually this bad,' title of your sex tape!" A goofy smile spread across Jake's face.

"God! All of this sexual tension is clouding my aura," Gina moaned, waving her hands around as if trying to disperse the tension.

"He wishes," Amy scoffed.

"It's okay, Ames. You can admit that you find me devilishly handsome."

"You got the devilish part right, but I wouldn't go any further than that."

"Watch it, girl," Gina interrupted, "any woman would be lucky to be boned by Jacob Peralta."

Charles couldn't help but chime in with his agreement, and his interjection was all that was needed to clear the air long enough for them to slip out into the crisp October night and head to the party.

Jake was like a five year old whenever he was around Amy. He teased her like she was a girl on the playground whose pigtails he couldn't help but yank. He found himself doing stupid things just to get her attention. If he was being honest, he'd do just about anything to make her laugh. The way her eyes lit up her face as she doubled over in laughter was more intoxicating than any amount of tequila. The sound of her laughter alone was enough to sustain him and could lift his spirits even on the worst days. Whenever he was around her everything just felt right. Tonight was no different.

...

The second surprise that night was the bet made between Jake and Amy. Stupid bets weren't out of the ordinary for the pair, but this was different. Emboldened by a couple shots of tequila and by his desire to annoy Amy, Jake decided to press his luck. As Gina talked about being ready to "dance up on a nice piece of meat," Jake turned to Amy.

"What about you? Are you gonna join Gina in her quest for some nice man meat?"

Amy scoffed and, rather than speaking, faked gagged as a response.

Charles, who misguidedly prided himself on being a wingless Cupid, decided to interject. "You could always dance up on Jake."

"Ew. That's worse than dancing with a complete stranger. Full offence."

"None taken." There was a suspicious twinkle in his eye as he continued. "What would it take to get you to dance with me?"

"It would take a miracle," she responded, willing away the unwelcome butterflies that were annoyingly fluttering in her stomach.

"What if I jump that trash can over there?" He nodded towards a shape that was definitely too high for Jake to clear.

"What do I get if you fail?"

"You get to watch me fall over and crush the man meat you won't be dancing up on."

They shook on it, eyes locked and hands lingering a little too long.

Jake backed up a few steps as everyone started cheering him on. Determination in his eyes, Jake took off at a run and jumped over the trash can, somehow clearing it, before falling onto the ground with a thud. The rest of the group ran over to see if he was okay, but before they could reach him, he stood up and took a deep bow.

"I believe you owe me a dance," he smirked.

Amy rolled her eyes in response, trying to feign disappointment at losing their bet.

* * *

As soon as they got through the door, everyone assumed their normal party positions, leaving Jake and Amy by the door. Amy was already halfway to the kitchen, hips swinging enticingly, when she turned back to Jake. "Drinks?"

Two shots (each) later, they were finally on the dance floor. The two were facing each other, as close as they had been during each almost-kiss, with Jake's hands on Amy's hips to set the rhythm. As the songs went on, Amy found herself relaxing into it, inching closer so that their bodies were touching. If Amy's tight jeans and low-cut top hadn't been enough, their new contact was driving Jake crazy, and he could feel his pants growing gradually tighter as Amy pressed against him. Their typical bickering continued, allowing them a way to avoid the nerves they were both feeling.

It wasn't long before Gina found them, and yanked them apart. "No, no! This is all wrong! Even dumb-dumbs like you should know that the subtext of the bet included uncomfortably sexual grinding. I am not leaving until you back that ass up, girl!"

Jake, whose hands never left Amy's hips, looked at her with a smirk before turning her around and bringing her closer to him so her back was flush against him.

"Now dance, my little puppets. Feel the music in your soul and _dance_!"

While Amy had never been big into grinding, she still knew how to use her hips. Placing her hands on top of his, she leaned back farther so that her head was resting against his shoulder. She pressed back more, earning a quiet groan that Jake failed to stifle. If she was being honest, she quite liked the control she was feeling, and started moving her hips against him. He dropped his head down as if he was going to kiss her neck, but seemed to think better of it. The angle allowed Amy to tilt her head to whisper in his ear, "having fun there?" She obviously knew the answer, pushing farther back into his groin as she asked.

Jake was sure that he was going to die right then and there. The most beautiful woman in the world was pressed up against him and grinding against his embarrassingly hard dick. The friction was driving him insane, and the more she rotated, the crazier it drove him. One of Amy's hands left his and travelled up to the back of his neck, as if trying to anchor him behind her. He searched for something - anything - to bring him back to earth. Thankfully, when he caught Charles' eye, the look of hope, excitement, and approval he was given provided just that escape. He drew Amy's attention to Charles, who was visibly cheering them on, which caused them both to dissolve into laughter. Pulling away, Amy turned to him.

"Still kind of wish you had fallen," she teased.

"Well it seemed like you were enjoying it," he remarked with a wink.

"Mmmm…. I definitely think you were enjoying it more than me." Jake opened his mouth to speak, but she cut him off before he could. "I know, I know. Title of my sex tape." Both of them burst out laughing before Amy finally asked if he wanted to grab some air.

After agreeing, she led them towards the back door, traveling through the kitchen to get there. She paused for half a second to grab a half-empty bottle of whiskey, and Jake chuckled.

"What? I figured we could grab a drink for the road and it was the only bottle left."

Rather than staying on the back porch, the two headed out and walked aimlessly through campus. After a few minutes, Amy tugged on Jake's arm, leading him down a path he normally tried to avoid. It didn't take long until they were in front of the library.

"I know you like to get a head start on your assignments, but I'm pretty sure the library is closed."

Amy rolled her eyes and kept walking, winding around the other side of the building and to a quiet spot tucked away between two outcroppings of brick.

"I come here sometimes to think," she mumbled, sitting with her back to the brick of the library.

Jake feigned surprise as he joined her on the ground, noting that when he was sitting they were well secluded from any passerby.

"Okay, fine," she sighed, interrupting his teasing. "I originally thought this place was great for studying-"  
" _Aha!_ "

"But then I started sneaking out here for a _very_ occasional cigarette and discovered that it was nice and hidden."

This time Jake's surprise was genuine, and didn't subside as she reached into her purse and pulled out a lighter and a pack of cigarettes. She held out the carton as if to offer one to Jake, but he shook his head.

"If you want to smoke, I have something that probably won't lead to a premature death from lung cancer," he teased as he pulled a joint out of his pocket. He fully expected Amy to yell at him about breaking the law and defiling her sacred library hiding spot, but instead she reached out and took it from him, placing it between her lips and lighting it. Jake's jaw dropped as he watched his rule-following friend nonchalantly holding a joint like a cigarette and take a slow drag. Exhaling slowly, the smoke swirled around them as she spoke.

"Stop looking so surprised. It's not like we're actually cops yet." She took another puff and paused before handing the joint over to Jake. "I can have fun when I want to, you know."

Jake laughed at the idea. "Your secluded smoking spot is behind the _library_."

"My predictability found you a perfect, hidden-in-plain-sight smoking spot," she maintained before taking another swig of whiskey. "You're welcome, by the way."

They continued to joke back and forth for a few minutes, passing the joint and the whiskey back and forth, being careful to only take a small amount at a time, as if trying to prolong their time together.

"I can't believe anal-retentive Amy Santiago is currently chugging whiskey and smoking weed behind the library. This is the most surprising thing I've ever seen."

"Okay well what's something about you that would surprise me?"

Jake paused for a second, thinking. It had to be something that would surprise Amy, meaning his dumb antics would earn him zero points. He took a long drag on the joint before answering. "I'm on track to graduate Cum Laude."

Amy almost spit out the whiskey she had just sipped.

"Yeah, I know. Don't tell anyone though. I want to surprise everyone on graduation day and say 'suck it' to everyone that doubted me. And I know you think I'm a slacker. And I am sometimes. And I know you didn't want me as a partner for that reason. But I'm passionate about this shit. And when I'm passionate I work hard. I know you think I'm a joke but I love this shit. I've wanted to be a detective since I was a kid. And- why are you laughing? Stop looking at me like that!"

"I'm sorry," she gasped, her laughter leaving her out of breath. "I was just thinking about your outfit on the first day and picturing you accepting your honors while wearing your gross, crumpled sweatpants."

They were both laughing then, taking swings at each other between sips and drags.

Once they finished the joint and the whiskey, they started stumbling back to her apartment.

Liquid courage hit him as they reached the door, so he decided to press his luck. "Your turn again. I need something surprising."

She looked at him, the gears in her head turning as she tried to think of something surprising. Suddenly, he could see a lightbulb click in her eyes and her lips were on his. Shock was quickly replaced with desire, and his hands reached around her back, pulling her closer. They melted into each others' mouths, tongues wrestling for control. Grabbing onto the collar of his leather jacket, Amy pulled Jake closer until there was no space between them. He groaned as she pressed against his still-tight jeans, causing him to tighten his grip. Her hands roamed his torso before finally pulling away.

"Cool cool cool cool cool cool cool cool cool. That was definitely surprising."

She smirked before closing the door behind her, leaving Jake to walk home alone and confused.

* * *

As soon as the door closed behind her, Amy felt all of her confidence and self-assuredness leave her body. Her mind going at a million miles per hour, she banged on Emily's bedroom door. After some audible shuffling, Em opened the door a crack and peered out, her hair a mess and her shirt inside-out.

"I'm a little busy h-"  
"I just kissed Jake," she blurted out, her voice more high pitched than normal.

Inside the room, she could hear Rosa's voice saying "oh shit," as more shuffling happened before Rosa appeared at Em's side, looking slightly more put together but equally as out-of-breath.

...

A few minutes had gone by and Amy was still pacing back and forth, her confusion only amplified by the weed and alcohol.

"It was stupid and impulsive and I don't know why I did it. What do I do?"

"Well, do you want to do it again?" Em had finished getting dressed and was pouring a glass of water for Amy, who finally collapsed on the couch.

"I mean I guess. No. No, I don't. It's too complicated and messy and it's _Jake_ for Christ sake."

"Listen," said Rosa, leaning forward. "You either like him or you don't. It doesn't have to be serious, but you cannot lead him on. Despite the nonchalant persona he tries so hard to present, that idiot is a big softie."

"You're right," Amy conceded. Excusing herself, she jumped in the shower before crawling into bed and unlocking her phone. 3am. Far too late to text Jake - besides, what would she even say?

She sighed and placed her phone on the table next to her bed, giving up on crafting an acceptable message. She had just drifted off to sleep when her phone lit up.

 _Jake: Hey. I feel like we maybe should probably talk about what happened?_


	4. Normal

**Hey guys! I got super busy and wasn't able to update. This isn't that long of a chapter, but it was a finished section and I wanted to get something out there. Hopefully I'll have time this weekend to catch up and get ahead on other parts. While I started this fic with the intention of doing a few chapters with intermittent smut, I'm really enjoying writing it and dragging it out. Let me know what you think!** **:)**

* * *

 **Chapter 4: "Normal"**

A knock on the door jolted Amy back to reality after drifting off for the tenth time that day. The act of standing alone was enough to exert any energy she had, and her head spun as she made her way to the door. Why she thought it would be a good idea to drink mass amounts of tequila and whiskey was a mystery, and it was a miracle she was wasn't curled into a ball under five layers of blankets.

Her memories of the previous night were a blur - the pregame and the party were both clear in her mind, but things started getting hazy once she and Jake left the party. She could recall parts of their conversation - some stupid jokes that seemed infinitely more amusing thanks to the whiskey and weed, and Jake had told her that he was on track to graduate with honors. The sincerety and passion in his voice when he talked about Criminal Justice was something you don't just forget. Earlier that morning, Amy had tried to piece together what happened - one minute they were sitting behind the library, joking like old friends. The next thing she knew, the sun was streaming through her blinds, forcing her back to consciousness. It wasn't until she looked at her phone and saw the text from Jake that her memories finally clicked in place - she kissed him.

 _No no no no no no. This can't be happening._ She felt sick to her stomach over the new memory. Or maybe it was from the alcohol. There was really no way to tell.

Amy spent much of the day playing a game of ping pong between the two sides of her brain, debating over what she was going to say to him. Rosa's voice rang clear in her ears - _"You either like him or you don't. It doesn't have to be serious, but you cannot lead him on"_ \- which only added to her confusion. This was _Jake_ , for crying out loud. Oh god, but that kiss - that kiss had been everything she could have hoped for and more. Despite how drunkenly sloppy it was, it was filled with passion and excitement, and just thinking about his hands on her back was enough to send shivers down her spine. But that doesn't change the fact that she was Amy and he was Jake. She was meant to be with someone like Teddy - predictable to the extent that it was sometimes boring, but reliable and caring. Amy was a practical person - she planned things out meticulously and farther in advance than was necessary - and she was suited to be with someone similar.

Nothing could happen between her and Jake; it was too messy and confusing. Besides, they still had to work together for the rest of the year. Nothing good could come out of getting involved. Maybe they could make it work for a couple weeks, but there were seven more months left in this group project, and a few weeks of fun was not worth multiple months of awkwardness. She had to stop things in their tracks before the inevitable fallout.

…

"Thanks for coming over," she mumbled, shielding her eyes from the sun as she opened the door wide enough for him to enter. "I figured it would be easier to talk in person than over the phone."

"Yeah, no problem." It was unlike him to not crack a joke as a greeting - something along the lines of "guess you just couldn't stay away," but he was feeling out of his element (not to mention very hungover). As much as he tried to deny it at first, he _really_ liked this girl. Up until last night he thought he didn't have a chance, but then _she_ kissed _him_. That had to have meant something - right? He tried to compose himself and muster up some sense of confidence as he followed her into the living room.

"Listen," Amy exhaled as she settled onto the couch. "I'm really glad we're friends now and not still mad about some petty rivalry that we barely remember-"

"You mean when our partnership failed and then Charles and I got the best grade in the class for our project?" Jake managed to attempt a cocky smirk to disperse some of the awkwardness, which only partly worked.

"Okay, that's not what- you know what? It doesn't matter." She inhaled deeply to refocus. "I just really like that we're friends and don't want what happened last night to ruin that."

"Oh." He paused, the gears in his head visibly turning as a look of confusion briefly took over his eyes. The smirk that was almost always plastered on his face vanished, and Amy saw the genuine disappointment before he was able to brush it away. Her heart dropped to the pit of her stomach, but she continued on.

"I got caught up in the competition of surprising each other, and I don't want you to get the wrong idea. We work really well together, and I don't want to jeopardize that. I shouldn't have kissed you - you asked for something shocking, and that's what came to mind."

Jake tried to maintain a poker face and an air of indifference. "So the shocking part was that you kissed me, not that you _wanted_ to kiss me."

"Exactly!" She squeaked, a little too high pitched.

He paused for a second, and Amy saw the hurt in his eyes, despite his attempt at a goofy, lopsided smile.

"Well then your idea of 'surprising' is really warped, Santiago. Although I suppose I wouldn't have been surprised if you did like me. I am _quite_ irresistible."

Amy simply rolled her eyes and tried to joke back, ignoring the fact that he was unfortunately correct. "You can believe whatever you want, Peralta."

* * *

Despite agreeing that the kiss meant nothing and everything would go back to normal, the following week was painfully awkward. The normal banter between Jake and Amy was practically nonexistent - their attempts at "normal" were in vain. Sometimes Jake would catch Amy looking at him out of the corner of his eye as if she were trying to gather the courage to tell him something, but whenever he would turn to catch her gaze, she would suddenly occupy herself with whatever distraction she could find.

Jake continued to search for opportunities to talk to Amy - not about their kiss, but just in general. He missed their conversations: the joking around, finding ways to make her eyes sparkle as she laughed, getting under her skin just enough to make her cheeks flush. Now she was practically avoiding him, but he refused to confront her and become one of _those_ people who can't take a hint. He even scolded himself for his paranoia over Amy going home the following weekend rather than staying to work on the group project and hanging out with them. It _was_ fall break, but it was just an extra two days off, so the rest of the gang had decided at the beginning of the semester to stay behind. The entire world didn't revolve around him, so why was he so convinced that Amy's sudden desire to flee campus had to do with him?

* * *

Being away from campus was like a breath of fresh air for Amy. She needed time away to completely refocus. While everyone on campus (minus Emily) thought that Amy had gone home, she had actually gone to her uncle's cabin upstate. She just needed to be away from people and focus on her studies and herself. It was so unlike her to become entwined in romantic drama - she prided herself on being a strong, independent, intelligent woman who did just fine on her own. The fact that she was so intensely wrapped up in Jake was baffling. When she was with Teddy, their relationship never interfered with school, which was oddly comforting. It was familiar and predictable and secure. Sure, maybe she had dumped him because he was insanely boring - which is really saying something coming from a woman who enjoys continuously experiments with new ways to organize her bookshelf. Still, their relationship was never a distraction, and allowed her to focus on school and her career goals without worrying about him. He was like a cat - always around, but didn't need constant care. Jake, on the other hand, was a puppy.

Her thoughts spiraled until she was fixated on her failed relationship with Teddy. It's not that she had feelings for him anymore, but she craved the comfort of predictability. She longed to tell Jake that she didn't just kiss him to surprise him, but that would involve facing him. In all honesty, Jake terrified her. He was adventurous and unpredictable - the same situations that caused Amy to flee were the ones in which he shined. She loved routine, and breaking monotony and taking risks were deeply rooted in Jake's personality.

Frustrated at her own thoughts, Amy stood up, grabbed a book, and headed to the deck of the cabin to read in the dim light that escaped through the glass door. She was determined to focus on literally anything besides romance - which, for the record, was only moderately successful. The first two days of her escape allowed her to get ahead on work and finish the multi-volume anthology she had been reading, but by Sunday night she was at a crossroads. There was no more work to logically get ahead on, and she was beginning to go stir crazy. Thoughts of Jake wouldn't stop, and neither would the voice in her head telling her to stop thinking so much about a barely relevant boy and to focus on getting good grades and maintaining her GPA.

There were still two more days of fall break, and, although she was set on spending the entire time at the cabin, she didn't think she could make it. Maybe she could convince Emily to somehow visit her for the last two days, or there was always the possibility of going to her actual home until the end of fall break. Then again, her parents thought she was still at school - her uncle gave her a key during her freshman year in case she needed to escape campus, since he only used the cabin during the summer. She couldn't go home and admit that she had deliberately lied to them for the first time in her life. Not only that, but she had disappeared into the woods and Emily was the only one who knew where she was - her parents would never forgive her for that level of irresponsibility. No, she'd stay here and maybe call Em to keep her from going insane. Regardless, she was determined to avoid campus until break was over.

Grabbing one of the poetry books from her uncle's shelf, Amy collapsed onto the worn sofa, hoping to find some sort of inspiration between in the pages. She was only a few pages in when a loud noise interrupted her, causing her to jump to attention. Someone or something was on her front porch.


	5. The Visitor

**I present to you - SMUT! Please know I haven't written smut since like 7th grade (and that was little naive me who didn't know anything) so I have no idea what I'm doing but I hope you enjoy!**

 **Also, I do a lot of reproductive rights advocacy, including comprehensive sexual health education stuff, meaning I usually opt for actual terms and not just alternative names for them. I'm not gonna call a clit a button (not that the people who write that way are wrong, it's just not my style please know I'm not shaming how people write smut), and I'm going to say anatomically correct stuff when possible? Why? Because it shouldn't be boring and gross and that's who I am as a person. Why would I differentiate at one point between the clit and the clitoral hood? Because in reality it would hurt to apply too much pressure directly to the clit. Watch Lindsey Doe's YouTube channel and her video on anatomy (I love her so much) and soak up the lovely and sexual education! Okay enjoy!**

* * *

 **Chapter 5: The Visitor**

Slowly, trying not to make any sound, Amy grabbed a knife from the kitchen before inching her way towards the door.

"Who's there?" She roared, trying to keep her voice calm and confident.

"It's me - Jake."

Amy sighed at the knowledge that there wasn't a serial killer outside her door, but for a brief moment she wished her paranoia had been right. How had Jake found her? And why was he here? She asked him exactly that as she opened the door and let him in.

"Em told Rosa that you had come out here, and Rosa told me. I'm not really sure why she told me, but she did. And when she told me I kind of got the feeling that I should come out here, so Em gave me the address." His babbling was so awkward and bashful that Amy almost forgot to make a mental note to kill Emily once she got back to campus.

"Nice cabin," he added, looking everywhere but her.

"Jake, why are you here?"

"I - uh -" he paused to take a deep breath before the rest of his sentence tumbled out in rapid succession. "I felt like you were avoiding me ever since the kiss. You said it meant nothing and that you just wanted everything to go back to normal, but nothing has been normal since then. And who needs normal anyways? It's overrated. And then you fled campus and said you were going home, but you came here to refocus and didn't tell anyone where you were going but Em - which is crazy, by the way - and yes, I'm babbling stupidly, and sure, maybe none of this has to do with me." He took a step closer, his words still spilling out in rapid succession. "But it sure feels like you're trying to avoid me, and if we're supposed to be friends then why can't you just talk to me?"

Jake dropped his gaze to his hands, peeking up briefly to get a read of Amy's reaction. He hadn't meant to blurt everything out like that, but he was so terrible at discussing his feelings that it was either word vomit or continued silence, and the latter was becoming too painful.

"Jake." Amy's voice seemed uncertain, his name sounding like a question and disclosure all at once. He waited for her to continue, but she remained silent, her eyes searching his.

"You didn't kiss me as a surprise." It was less of a question than a realization, but Jake was terrified of assuming wrong, despite how deeply he wanted to be right.

This time, it was Amy avoiding eye contact, her gaze on the floor as she shook her head.

"Ames, if you just want things to be normal, then I get it. But I really like you."

"I like you too," she breathed, their eyes finally meeting. Her words caused butterflies to erupt in Jake's stomach, his eyes lighting up with excitement. "But we have to work together for another seven months. What if we get together and then break up? I don't want things to be weird."

Jake paused as he processed this new information. "We could keep things light and breezy? Just kind of see where things go? We don't even have to tell anyone until we figure out what's going on."

Amy gave a coy smile, relieved that they were finally on the same page, but still terrified. "Okay, but we're going to need a comprehensive set of rules."

"Aaaaand you've already ruined it."

She rolled her eyes, but her smile proved that she wasn't truly annoyed. Instead of responding, she simply grabbed the collar of his flannel and pulled him into a kiss.

* * *

A few hours later, the two were laying on the roof, passing another joint back and forth. It was late, and the sky was illuminated by hundreds of beautiful, twinkling stars. Wanting to spend more time together, Amy had set up a bed on the couch for Jake (one of the rules Amy had proposed was no sex right away, so separate sleeping areas made sense) and leant him a clean pair of flannel pajamas from her uncle's wardrobe. Jake wondered whether or not flannel pajamas were a family trend, because Amy had changed into a similar pair of her own. Even in dorky pjs, a messy bun, and glasses that looked suited for a grandmother and not a 21-year-old college student, she was the most gorgeous woman he had ever seen. The way her eyes crinkled as she laughed, how passionate she got when discussing academics, and the constant surprises that he uncovered. For instance, despite being close friends at this point, Jake was completely unaware of her minor in Art History until he found a book on her nightstand about art during and after the Cuban Revolution. Her eyes sparkled as she told him how communism had impacted artists, and how art is frequently used as a tool of resistance and self-expression, promising to force him to watch _Fresa y Chocolate_ at some point in the coming weeks.

Despite a deep-seeded hatred for rules, Jake didn't mind the ones they had created. Sure, some were a little annoying (after weeks of sexual tension, a no sex rule was pure torture - although it was nothing compared to the past week of silence), but they were a sign that the pair were finally working something out. Once the joint had been finished, Amy turned on her side and rested her head on his chest, Jake's arm curling underneath her to hold her even closer, his fingers tracing designs on her shoulder. Although he was elated by the outcome of their conversation, he was petrified. He was falling hard for this girl, and the last and only time he had truly fallen for someone it had ended terribly.

…

That previous summer, Jake had met a gorgeous law student named Sophia. She was in town for an internship, and they had run into each other at the bar. The chemistry was electric and instant, and Jake quickly found himself in love. In fact, he told her just that about three months into their relationship. However, she didn't feel the same way, and their romance ended before the semester started. As heartbroken as he was, he had finally realized that his casual approach to dating wasn't enough for him. For some people it was all they needed, and Jake used to be the same way. But since Sophia, Jake realized that he wanted something deeper. He didn't just want a casual fling, but rather a best friend and partner that he could grow with. Someone that would challenge him and help him grow. Amy was exactly that. She was everything he needed and more.

* * *

A sudden light in the kitchen forced Jake awake. Yawning widely, he got up to see what was going on.

"Hey - sorry to wake you. I just needed some wa-" Jake's bare torso caught her off guard when she turned around to greet him. While it was crisp enough outside to warrant the full flannel pajama set, the small bit or warmth inside had caused Jake to abandon the buttoned top. The combination of moonlight streaming through the window and a dull beam from the ceiling fan were enough to highlight every line of his abdomen. For a guy who ate a lot of questionable pizza and chinese food takeout, he was pleasantly toned.

"Eyes up here, Santiago," a smirk crept shyly across his face as he inched closer, eyes locked on hers. His entire body was tense, and Amy's stomach tightened as he lifted his arm slowly, reaching above her to grab a glass from the cabinet above her head. Even though he didn't touch her, his closeness sent shivers down her spine. Suddenly, his entire body relaxed. "I'm just fucking with you, Ames. I know I'm irresistible to the human eye." He winked, which only caused Amy's stomach to tense even more. He turned to fill his cup from the faucet, but Amy's hand caught him before he reached it, pulling him towards her and catching his lips in a kiss.

Amy's sudden boldness nearly caused Jake to drop the cup from shock, but he quickly relaxed into it, placing the cup on the counter before wrapping his arms around her as she laced her fingers in his hair.

She wasn't completely sure what had come over her, but all Amy could think about was running the tips of her fingers gently down Jake's torso. The touch was so light that it almost ticked, causing a low moan to build up in the back of his throat. His lips barely left her skin as he traveled down her neck, exploring her with his mouth. Head falling back in pleasure, Amy was barely able to stifle a moan of her own, which only encouraged Jake more. He carefully kissed his way up to the sensitive skin behind her ear, pausing only to take the lobe between his teeth, while his fingers made quick work undoing the buttons of her pajama top. As soon as she shrugged it past her shoulders and let it fall to the ground, Jake took a step back as his eyes roamed her bare, heaving chest.

"Eyes up here, Peralta," she teased, her words breaking Jake from the trance. Within a moment his mouth crashed back onto hers with a renewed passion, his body attacking hers with such a force that she topled back until her spine crashed against the cool door of the refrigerator, a surprised gasp escaping her. Amy had never experienced this level of raw passion, and she tried to understand how she had convinced herself that she had been fine without it for years. Jake took one of Amy's hands and guided it around his neck, causing her to stumble forward just a smidge, allowing Jake to wrap his arms around her hips and lift her up, her back rejoining the door of the fridge as her legs wrapped around his waist, pulling him impossibly closer. Her nails dug into his shoulders and they stayed there for a few minutes, struggling for control over the other. Finally, Jake readjusted his grip and took a few steps to the side, placing Amy down onto the kitchen counter without breaking their kiss.

Amy could feel her desire building, and she could feel how much he wanted her every time he grinded into her. She wanted nothing more than to rip off the rest of his pajamas and let him fuck her into oblivion right then and there in the kitchen of her uncle's cabin, but she couldn't break one of the rules they had just created. Jake had moved his focus to her breasts, his lips slowly trailing down his chest as his hands slid up from her hips to cup her tits. She moaned as he took one of her nipples into his mouth, her breath and heartbeat continuing to increase at dangerous rates.

"We should stop," she heaved, "before I rip your pants off."

Jake chuckled, and Amy felt every vibration of sound in every bone of her body.

"What if I promise to keep my pants on," he smirked, one hand inching farther and farther down. "But yours come off?" He allowed one of his fingers to ever so lightly brush the band of her pajamas, and Amy's breath hitched. "Then we wouldn't technically be breaking any rules, but we'd both get what we want."

"What's that?" she managed.

"Well," he said between kisses. "I'd get to see if you taste as good as I imagine, and you'd get the orgasm your body is currently begging for."

"Confident, aren't we?" Her breathing was too heavy to truly convey her normal level of sass.

"In my read of the room or my abilities? Because either way, yes."

She tried to roll her eyes at him, but he grinded into her at that exact moment, causing her eyes to roll back into her head instead. He leaned into her ear, his breath tickling her skin. "So is that a yes?"

Amy couldn't take it anymore. Between the friction from his erection rubbing against her, his lips on her ear, and his hands teasing her - one playing with her nipple as the other rested near the band of her pajamas. She couldn't get any words out, but instead laced her one hand into his hair and pulled his head back. The sudden assertion of power and the short jolt of pain he felt turned him on even more, so by the time she forced his lips on hers he was already grasping for every bit of skin he could reach. His fingers resumed tracing the lining of her pajamas until the teasing caused Amy to visibly shake. Yet, she didn't say anything - too proud to beg, but unwilling to tell him what to do. Instead, she just enjoyed everything he gave her, reveling in every second of it. Finally, Jake slipped a finger below her waistband, feeling her through her underwear. If he could feel this much wetness through the cotton, he couldn't imagine what was underneath. The thought alone made him groan, and he removed his hand, much to Amy's disappointment. The sudden lack of pressure between her legs caused her to surprise herself by crying out. He simply laughed, taking in how fucking hot it was that Amy Santiago was whining because he, Jake Peralta, stopped touching her. He relished this newfound control, waiting for her to continue pouting for a few seconds before sliding his fingers below her underwear and between her lips.

"Fuck," he moaned into her mouth, feeling how wet she was. His dick was throbbing in his pants, begging for a release that he was currently intent on giving only to her. His dark brown eyes bore into hers as he pulled both her pants and underwear off in one swift motion, standing back to admire the view.

Amy tried to relax under his gaze, but she was unable to. His eyes scanned every inch of her naked body, absorbing the sight like she was a piece of fine art (and, to him, she was). He stood there staring at her for over a minute, her hands gripping the countertop on either side of her bare ass. Her messy bun had half fallen out, and wisps of hair were glued to her forehead from sweat. Her chest was raising and falling rapidly, the pattern of motion drawing his attention continuously to her tits. Finally, the tantalizing curves of her thighs drew his gaze to the space between her spread legs. Amy watched as his mouth practically watered at the sight. She had never seen anyone look at a vagina the way he was looking at hers. Not in any previous sexual encounter nor in the porn she had seen (then again, the vaginas in porn were usually just there as tools for eliciting male pleasure, but she wasn't going down that rabbit hole right now). His breathing increased and his face flushed, and by the time his eyes flickered up to meet hers they were burning with such desire that Amy swore she could've orgasmed right then and there.

She attempted to tease him, batting her eyelashes as she questioned, "like what you see?" However, she wasn't prepared for his reaction. No words were said, but Jake swallowed thickly before crashing his lips back onto hers with a new urgency. His one hand tangled in her hair, grasping on to the tresses that fell from her updo, pulling just enough to draw a quiet moan from her throat. His other hand made its way up her inner thigh, pausing just south of where she so desperately craved him. Slowly, his lips made their way down. He kissed, licked, and nipped at every available inch of skin as he traveled from her lips to her chest, pausing to give extra attention to her hardened nipples. He bit gently on one, and Amy's back arched further than it already had, her breathing intermittently interrupted intelligible words as he devoured every visible piece of skin. He skipped from her belly button to her thigh, and Amy suddenly became very aware of every hair on her body.

"Shit, sorry. I - _uuuh, fuck_ \- didn't think to clean up since _\- oh god_ \- I didn't know I'd be getting any visitors."

He pulled back briefly, taking in the sight. He was on his knees in front of Amy's naked body as she arched her back in pleasure and moaned as he teased her with his fingers and tongue, touching everywhere around her vagina without actually touching it. Yet, here she was - a gorgeous, naked lady who was shaking and sweating and soaking wet - actually worried about the amount of hair between her legs.

"Oh my god, Amy, how dare you. Maybe we should try again after you have a chance to get a Brazilian." How he could be so lighthearted and joking at a moment like this was uncanny. Amy could barely form full sentences, and here he was, his mouth inches from her dripping pussy and he was antagonizing her.

"Fuck you, Jake. This is not the tim- oh my fucking god." Her thought was cut short as Jake placed his lips around her clit, sucking and licking as her head fell back and cries of pleasure escaped her. He paused for a brief second, pulling back just enough to catch her eye with a wink. "You were saying?"

She couldn't deal with this right now. "Stop talking and use your big, stupid, goofy mouth for something good." _Fuck_ , he thought, his dick growing harder and harder in his pants at her newly found composure and authority. Suddenly the images of him bending her over the kitchen counter, one hand in her hair and the other on her ass, were replaced by ones of her pushing him down onto the couch and fucking him senseless - the sudden switch of power in his mind only strengthening his determination. She stared him down as he cheekily smirked and winked, a quiet "yes ma'am," escaping his lips as he wrapped both of his hands around her thighs and pulled her to him, his tongue tasting every inch of her. An almost primal noise rose out of her chest - something between a moan and a scream. Jake basked in his ability to render Amy speachless and a babbling mess (at this point, she was alternating between an incoherent babble of cuss words and "oh gods," and moans, which surprised both of them), and he moaned into her center. His moan caused a ripple effect throughout her body, threatening to send her over the edge. The pleasure was almost unbearable - never before had a sexual partner spent this much time with his face between her legs (something that would have caused her a tinge of disappointment if she wasn't currently shaking with pleasure), giving his undivided attention to her own pleasure.

He licked the length of her opening, his eyes meeting hers through his eyelashes. She was visibly shaking at this point, her voice cutting out as she continued mouthing silent encouragement. Without breaking eye contact, he reattached to her clit, alternating between various pressures and patterns until Amy's thighs were squeezed so tightly on either side of his head that he thought it might explode (not that he minded, of course). Feeling bold - although one could argue that eating out a gorgeous lady at 3:30 in the morning after traveling to a random cabin in the woods to find her and talk to her was already pretty bold - he ever so slightly grazed her clitoral hood with his teeth, and the sharp pressure was enough to make her come undone. Jake dug his fingers into her thighs, holding her to him as he continued to taste her throughout her orgasm, continuing even after the initial shock wore off and her breathing became less sporadic.

Finally descended back to earth, Amy caught Jake's gaze. They simply froze, staring at each other for a solid minute before Amy burst out laughing. Although confused at the cause, Jake couldn't help but join in the laughter. She slid off the counter finally, her knees wobbling as she tried to find her balance. She grabbed her shirt, sliding her arms in without buttoning it up, while Jake picked up the haphazard pile of her pants and underwear.

"Think you can manage to keep your pants on?"

"'Think you can manage to keep your pants on?,' title of your sex tape." Amy rolled her eyes at his incessant ability to make obscene jokes even at a time like this, but led him to her room anyways.

Once in the room, she motioned for him to hand back over her underwear, but he took a step back.

"Jake seriously," she laughed, "give them back."

"I just feel like ending on only one time is a terrible odd number and we should just even it out."

Amy raised an eyebrow at this, but she smiled and laughed as she fell backwards onto the bed, her flannel top still unbuttoned. Jake crawled in next to her, laying on his side facing her and placed a chaste kiss on her lips. He couldn't help but smile at the gentle tenderness between them, although now was not the time for sappy confessions of feelings. He kissed her again, a little deeper, and found pulling away even harder. She looked up at him with desire and bit her bottom lip slowly, which Jake couldn't help but watch intently. As soon as her teeth released her skin, he followed suit and gently caught her lip between his teeth. The next time their lips met it was a perfect combination of chaste tenderness and all-encompassing passion. Their lips moved in tandem, and Jake began trailing his hand down the length of her body. His fingers resumed tracing circles on her inner thighs, causing her to open them wider by reflex. Taking just one finger, he slowly began circling her clit once again, causing Amy, who still hadn't completely come down from the high of her last orgasm, to moan and buck her hips. Jake smirked, pulling away from their kiss just long enough to watch her reaction as he pushed two fingers inside her and bent them at the joint. Jake could have sworn Amy growled as he found her G-spot, her hands clenching the sheets below her.

It didn't take long until Amy was a sweating, panting mess once again, her eyes rolled all the way back in her head as she murmured a string of words like "fuck yes." Slowly, Jake kissed his way back down until his tongue was once again drawing circles around her clit. Her fingers untangled themselves from the bed sheet and reattached to his head, guiding him to exactly where she needed him. Amy began to feel herself nearing the edge once again, and she was sure Jake knew too, as each time her walls clenched tighter around his fingers he groaned into her, the vibrations heightening every single sensation in her body.


	6. The Dream

**I know this was a super short chapter, but I've been sooo busy lately and not able to write. But here's some morning-after fluff for y'all. Please R &R. Honestly not 100% sure where this is going to go next. I had a plan when I started but that plan has been re-written so many times that I'm just going with the flow at this point. I'm gonna keep going, though, but updates will become more sporadic with more time in between, especially as I start my Senior Year (ba dum tss). Anyways, stay tuned to this. I'm also working on some one-shots (to fill in the gaps when I'm struggling with longer pieces), so make sure to check out my page in the future as those get published.**

 **Also, please follow my brand new tumblr (right now there's literally nothing on it, but I'll be posting updates there and reblogging fanfic that I like) at .com**

* * *

 **Chapter 6: The Dream**

Jake rounded the corner in a sprint, his suspect just out of reach. _If I could just grab his coat I could yank him back_. But no matter how fast he ran or how far he extended his arm, the other guy evaded him. It wasn't until they reached the dead end of a dark alleyway that Jake was able to breathe again. Reaching for his gun, Jake stared into the eyes of the scumbag he had finally caught. All the man could do was back into the wall with his hands up, looking in every direction for a possible escape.

"It's no use," Jake said. "You're under arrest. No one vandalizes Nakatomi Plaza and gets away with it!"

That's when Jake felt an arm reach around him. _Shit - he has backup_. He couldn't see who was behind him, but he refused to lower his gun, keeping it aimed at the suspect in case he used this as an opportunity to escape. The arm around him didn't even try to take the gun, but rather stayed gently stroked his torso. _This is the weirdest case I've ever worked_ , he thought.

Then it got weirder. Jake looked down to see a hand trailing a feather along his suddenly naked chest. It tickled. Jake felt a laugh building and tried to fight it, thrashing against the arm. Suddenly, he heard a voice tinged with concern as he continued to thrash about - "Jake!?"

His arms shot open, and Jake realized that the feather tickling his chest were actually fingers, which had stopped moving and now lay flat against his torso.

"Jake, are you okay? You started tossing and mumbling something about a goober."

The final remnants of sleep washed away as he looked down and saw Amy looking at him with concern. _Damn_ , she was gorgeous. Her bun was an absolute mess, with only about half of her hair still in it, and her flannel top was buttoned wrong and horribly wrinkled. But none of that mattered, because it was Amy and she was resting her chin on his chest, one leg draped over his, her hand lying protectively on his bare chest. He smiled at her and kissed her forehead.

"I'm fine. And it was probably Gruber, not goober. From Diehard." Amy looked at him confused, but her concern was fading. "It was a pretty kickass dream, actually. Until some guy started tickling me with a feather, that is."

And that's how their morning began - Jake telling her about his dream, followed by a twenty minute spiel about how Diehard is the best movie around. He could've gone longer, but Amy decided she had had enough, silencing him with a kiss.

Her lips were tender and soft, and Jake reached around her to pull her closer until she rolled over on top of him so that she was straddling him. She kissed him deeper, her hands framing his head as he melted into her mouth, sighing with content. It didn't take long for Jake to grow hard under the slight movements Amy was making on top of him. She wasn't purposefully grinding on him, but every tiny move she made sent sparks through his entire body. Needing something more, he tried to subtly push himself against her with a little more pressure, causing Amy to smirk and kiss along his jaw and neck until she reached his ear. The feeling of her hot breath on his skin made him shake with anticipation. Amy tilted her head just enough so that her lips were barely brushing against his ear.

"I'm gonna go make breakfast," she whispered, before sitting up and sliding off of the bed. She turned back to give him a brief smirk before sauntering out of the room and towards the kitchen.

"This is why I hate you," he yelled after her, his voice absolutely unconvincing.

"Sure you do." Her voice was full of confidence and teasing, and he could feel her continued smirk even though she was out of sight.

* * *

Jake made his exit later that same day. They had agreed not to tell _anyone_ yet, so after several passionate goodbye kisses, Jake headed back to campus and left Amy to stay another day in the cabin.

"Are you sure you're okay to spend another night alone in the woods?"

"For the last time, yes, I'm okay. I was planning on spending the entire break here alone, so I think I'll be fine." Amy didn't particularly want Jake to leave, but spending over 24 hours straight with Jake seemed like it would've been too intense for their plan of keeping things casual.

"Light and breezy," Jake said, leaning in for a brief kiss.

"Light and breezy," she echoed.


	7. Close Call

**Sorry for the delay and shorter chapter - I started up school again, and have been swamped! Senior year let's gooooo. 3**

* * *

 **Chapter 7: Close Call**

 _Light and breezy? Seriously, Amy - light and breezy!?_

She was pacing in her bedroom, mentally scolding herself for her poor life choices. Amy could do many, many things. Light and breezy had never been one of them. Heavy and meticulously planned, on the other hand, was more maintainable. "Light and breezy" was something a Santiago only ever associates with linen clothing.

The thought caused her to pause in her tracks. That was it - she'd gone insane. Jake Peralta had knocked a few screws loose and now she was going legitimately crazy. There was no other reason she'd ever thing "light and breezy" was a good idea. What did it even mean? What did it entail? And how could they possibly hide this from the rest of the group? Amy could barely handle hiding it from Em - every time she got a flirty or suggestive text, she'd have to lie to her best friend about what was on her phone, and it killed her. Thankfully, Em had taken Jake's word that he and Amy had simply talked things over to the point that they were back to "normal," meaning no one was suspicious. However, Amy still couldn't get passed the idea of deceiving the one person she never lied to.

Break had only been over for a couple days when things started to get complicated. The two hadn't even been on a real date yet - their after-class lunches didn't count, since that was an established tradition. Plus, Em and Rosa joined more often than not at this point, which meant Jake and Amy couldn't really talk about anything pertaining to their new "relationship." Amy couldn't complain too much, though - it was nice having those two around. Emily was the only person anywhere near as intense as Amy, and seeing her in a casual relationship gave Amy a weird sense of hope for her and Jake. If Em could be happy with an indefinitely casual relationship, Amy could be content for the time being.

* * *

Thursday rolled around, and an impending deadline caused an emergency group meeting - their first since Amy and Jake's visit to the cabin.

That morning, Charles announced in the group chat that he would be late and covered in flour from getting baked (Jake thankfully chimed in to explain that Thursday was baking club, and that, despite Charles's unintended innuendo, they unfortunately did not make edibles ever - something he had inquired about on multiple occasions). Grateful to have the apartment to himself for a while, Jake switched message strands and pulled up Amy's contact.

 _So u wanna come over early to get some extra work done?_

 _Yes!_

 _Gr8 can't wait to get some "work" done ;)_

 _Omg. I thought you actually meant working on the project._

 _Of course u did, loser._

 _Ouch, I'm hurt._

 _Lol sorry (not). See you at 6?_

 _While it doesn't sound as fun as actual classwork, I guess I can swing by early ;)_

Jake rolled his eyes and chuckled to himself as he put his phone away. He couldn't help the few butterflies that swarmed his stomach at that moment. The two of them hadn't been alone in private since he left the cabin. Sure, they'd texted and gotten lunch together, but there was always another friend there, or they were in public. The secrecy had been driving him crazy. All he wanted to do was kiss her, but they had agreed on "light and breezy." Why he had thought that was a good idea, he'll never know. Jake may have not been a stranger to casual relationships, but with Amy he just couldn't. He was crazy about her, and it killed him that he couldn't even grab her hand when they walked.

 _Oh god,_ he thought, _I'm turning into a sap. Send help_.

* * *

It was 6pm on the dot when Amy showed up at Jake's, a latte in each hand. She looked like an autumn goddess in her deep red knit sweater and matching lipstick, her hair in a sleek updo with a few wisps falling on either side, and her cheeks flush from the brisk air.

"I brought us brain fuel," she chimed. Thanking her, Jake grabbed both cups of coffee and set them on the kitchen counter before wrapping his arms around her and pulling her lips to his.

Oh _god_ did Jake's mouth do things to her. It was the perfect mix of rough and tender - lustful and chaste at the same time. His lips made her question their "no sex" rule to the point where she almost wanted to say "screw it." _Almost_.

But god damn did he kiss her like his life depended on it. He kissed her like he would never kiss another human again. It was a kiss that could go on for hours, and Amy would happily oblige, but Jake pulled away and winked.

"In case you don't understand tongues, that meant 'thanks for the coffee.'"

"Well then maybe I should bring you coffee more often," she laughed. Her lipstick was smeared all over Jake's face, which caused her to laugh even more at his clown-like appearance.

Jake looked at her with fake innocence. "Do I have something on my face?"

Amy smiled and reached up to wipe the lipstick off with her sleeve, but he stopped her to duck in front of the mirror.

"Wow, this color really brings out the undertones in my complexion," he examines himself from multiple angles, making Amy laugh more. "How is it still in place on your lips while also all over mine?"

"Apparently kiss-proof and transfer-proof aren't mutually exclusive."

"I'm gonna pretend like I have any sort of clue what that means." He wipes it off his face and laughs. "Either way, it looks good on you. Perfect first date color…"

"Jake," she rolled her eyes. "I told you, I have a huge exam on Tuesday and I need to study. We can go after my exam. Light and breezy, remember?."

"You're killing me, Ames."

"I bet I can make it up to you," she winked before pulling him closer.

It took less than a second for Jake to crowd Amy up against the wall and for her to start unbuttoning his. His hands explored her, and he relished in the smooth curves of her body. Just as Amy reached the bottom button, the front door started to rattle. They looked at each other with panic, frantically rushing to make themselves presentable, and Amy ducked into the kitchen.

"Charles-" Jake tried to steady his breath as his roommate entered the tiny hallway. "I thought you were gonna be late to the group meeting."

"Yeah, some nincompoop set the oven too high and burnt the rolls. There were no survivors. All I wanted to do was sink my teeth into some hot buns!"  
"God man, you have _got_ to know how that sounds!"

Amy couldn't help but laugh, causing Charles to yell out and demand to know who was there.

"I just got here, we were going over our parts of the project." Amy reluctantly left her hiding space to great Charles, her updo now a mess.

Charles looked back and forth between them with a look of distrust and excitement, as if a young child had just learned his divorced parents were _finally_ getting back together. Their disheveled appearances definitely didn't help matters, and Charles examined them both closely, and eventually began circling Jake.

"Wait a second… is that Amy's lipstick on your neck!?" Charles was practically giddy as he licked his thumb, much to Jake's disgust, and leaned in to wipe it off.

Amy's eyes shot open and Jake jerked away from Charles to cover the spot with his hand. "What!? No," he sputtered.

Thankfully, Charles was cut off by a knock on the door, and Jake used the distraction to place some distance between him and his roommate.

"Rosa, you're early!" Jake said as he opened the door for her to enter.

I thought you were getting dinner with Em. She was prepping ingredients all day," Amy added with a hint of pride.

"Yeah. I don't do romantic dinners at people's houses. That's serious relationship stuff. I don't do that."

"I thought you guys were getting serious," Charles said.

"I told you, I don't do serious. We were just hooking up."

"Were?"

"I swear to god, if one more person asks about my personal life I will punch them in the throat," she said through gritted teeth.

Despite how badly she felt for her best friend, Amy couldn't help but be relieved. This sort of drama was exactly the distraction they needed. Charles was too busy giving Rosa pitiful side glances - as if he expected to catch her showing some sort of emotion - to question Jake and Amy. _Crisis averted_.


End file.
